Railway-crossing signal



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,489

I E. v. STEINER RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April 2 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WW ATTORNEY Jan. 31, 1928.

E. v. STEINEIR RAILWAY C305 5 ING SIGNAL Filed April 23, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES EARL V. STEINER, OF MARSHALLVILLE, OHIO.

RAIL\VAY CROSSING SIGN-AL.

Application filed Avril 23,, 1926. Serial No. 104,204.

This invention relates to railway crossingsignals, and particularly to a timer signal switch, whereby an audible signal or a visual signal, or both, may result at and during a predetermined period of time prior to the arrival of a train at a given location.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel means to be operated by the train,

whereby signal mechanism may be actuated and caused to establish'acircuit for energizing a signal. While it is preferable to utilize the mechanism in connection with an audible signal, it will be apparent that through the use of a circuit with a source of electricity any of the conventional types of electric signals may be provided.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel means which will operate automatically after it has been set or actuated by impact of an element carried by the train, on the part of the signalling device whereby the signalling device is mechanically charged a predetermined degree, in

ratio to the lack of force of the impact,

since the mechanism works inversely. It will also, of course, be understood that a train traveling at. comparatively great speed will operate the mechanism more violently on impact than would be the case if the train were traveling at a comparatively slow speed, so that it is by calculation with respect to the speed of the train that the signal timing may be determined.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein like characters denote correspond ing parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation showing a fragment of a railway track and a device embodying the invention applied thereto, the said device being partly in section;

Figure 2 illustrates a similar view with parts in different positions of adjustment, due to the operation of the device in practice;

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the signal mechanism; and

the track and the end, of the arm remote from the shaft is curved to form a camming surface 9, the said surface occupying a plane above the plane of the shaft when in normalposition. It is the purpose of the inventor that an engine or car of a train, which is to run on the track with relation to which the mechanism is to be stationed, shall be provided with a depending member 10, preferably having a roller 11 which contacts the camming surface of the arm for operatin the switch mechanism, as will presently appear. Preferably the member 10 is mounted on a pivot 12 in order that it may swing free of the arm when moving in a direction opposite to that in which it moves when it actuates the arm. The depending member is held against movement in one direction by the abutment or stop 13 that may be stationary on the car from which the depending element is supported.

The shaft 7 has a stop arm 14 that is rigid and a post 5 has a weight 15 osc-illatable on a pivot 16. The weight is provided with a spring 17, which is struck by the arm 14 when the shaft is partially rotated, due to the movement of the train, as has been described, and the said weight 15 serves to absorb the shock or jar incident to the operation of the device and to limit the rotation of the shaft, a condition which will prevent the parts from being actuated beyond predetermined degree.

A shell or casing A is mounted on the shaft 7 remote from the first mentioned arm and the said shell has a float chamber 36 which may be normally above the shaft, the said member having a partition or wall 37 of less height than the chamber, whereby the interior of the shell is divided into a reservoir or munition or pouring chamber and av float chamber. An orifice or port 18 extends through the wall of the float chamber at the bottom thereof, and a flexible hinged tube 19 communicates with the said orifice. The float 20 is connected to an angularly disposed stem 21 which projects through the top 22 of the chamber and the said stem is pivot-ally connected to an arm 23 that is pivoted on a post 24. The arm 23 has a brush or wiper 25 adapted to engage the electrical contact 26 for establishing a circuit to a signal. The particular type of signaling circuit isnot-a part of this invention and need not, it is thought, be described in detail. A link 27 is'connected to the tube 19 and to the float stem. .When liquid is delivered to the float chamber, the float is elevated and the tube is held with its discharge end elevated so that therewill be a relatively slow discharge of the liquid from the float chamber, but as the float recedes or descends in the chamber, the outlet end of the tube will be lowered, thereby securing uniformity of flow from the float chamber, and the movement of the brush Wlll be controlled in order that it Wlll contact the plate at the required time and. mainreturn orifice 32.

tain the circuit for a specified period of time, according to the amount of liquid in the float chamber and the provision that is made for its escape.

In a plane below the float chamber, a container is present for the storage of a limited amount of liquid, and this storage space has been termed a reservoir, or munition or a pouring chamber and it-is identified by the numeral 28. The pouring chamber has a bottom 29 with an aperture 30 therein, controlled by a valve 81, under certain conditions or positions of the device, and the said bottom also has an unguarded small An inertialiquid chamberalso constitutes a part of the casing that is mounted on the shaft and it is identified by the numeral 38. It extends from the bottom of the pouring chamber in curved formation and it is intended to also contain liquid, it being understood that the said liquid circulates into and out of the pouring chamberand into and out of a gas chamber 3% which is of curved for- .mation, whose arc joins the arc of the chamberf33. At the junction of the two-arcs of the chambers 33 and 34a diaphragm 35 is located. The diaphragm does not wholly tation of the shaft under the impact of the operation, the gasin the gas chamber allowing this function by its elasticity.

The whole mechanism will swing through an arc of a circle on the axisof the shaft/T when the arm 8 is struck. Fig. 2 shows the positions of the parts at the end of the.

movement and in's'aid position, the parti: tion 37 of the float chamber is approximately in a horizontal position.

It will be understood from an inspectionof the drawing and from the description that the amount of liquid in the pouring ,impact and the violence of movement of the casing and parts connected to it. For ex ample, a sharp or'hard blow imparted to the arm and the consequent more violent rotationor displacement of the shell and the parts connected .with it, will cause the displacement, by' centrifugal force, from the pouring chamber to the curved extension, whereas a light blow, due to a slowly moving train, will impart a less violent movement to the parts, and hence less liquid will be displaced from the pouring chamber into the curved extension. Gas in the gas chamher will be compressed according to the violence of action of the fluid as it flows from the'pouring chamber to the curved ex tension, and if the movement is violent or active, less liquid will remain in the pouring chamber to be poured into the float chamber, and therefore, the brush will not be moved beyond the electrical connection, but will make a' circuit at once. A light blow from a slowly moving train will displace less liquid from the pouring'chamher to the curved extension because inertia and centrifugal force will be less violent, and therefore more liquid will remain in the pouring chamber to be delivered to the float chamber. The excess of liquid under the last mentioned example will cause the float to raise to a greater extent and the brush will be carried'far beyond the electrical connection so that a circuit will not be established at once, thus permitting a slow train to approach the crossing or guarded location in order that the signal may not be sounded until the train is near the guarded location. It is the purpose of the inventor to so time the signalling that the signal will be sounded approximately five' seconds before the guarded location is reached, although, of course, this may be changed to suit particular requirements, through the useof properly proportioned elements.

It will be seen then that the time period, whether for a fast or slow train, may always be practically the same. After the liquid has been displaced and has operated to compress the gas in the gas chamber and the abnormal force which displaced the liquid from the curved extension has ceased, the gas in the gas chamber will expand to its normal pressure and'force the liquid upwardly in the curved extension and back into 1 chamber, as the opening between the gas chamber and the curved extension will'be liquid sealed at all times.

The'arrangeme'nt of parts is such that the curved extension and gas chamber act as a pendulum or counterbalance the structure above the shaft, due to their weight, and this accounts for the resumption of the apparatus to its normal position.

Assuming that the shaft 7 has been rotated to bring the parts to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 2 and that the parts livered to the float chamber. is in thereafter are returned to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 1, and that during such movement fluid has been delVhen fluid the float chamber, the arm 23 will be elevated and the brush 25 will be above the contact 26. As the fluid. gradually escapes from float chamber, the brush drops and is carried over the contact 26. 'The length oi'time, therefore, in which the brush and contact are engaged is determined by the flow of the fluid from the float chamber. The valve 31 allows liquid from the chamber 28 to pass by it into the inertia liquid chamber 33, and the gas in 34 is compressed when the liquid is forced into it at the time of impact when the shaft 7 is rotating. It will be apparent that the sharper the impact, the more the gas will be compressed in the chamber 34, which will leave an inversely proportionate remainder in the chamber 28. In other words, a sharp blow which would be delivered by a fast moving train would leave a smaller remainder and the lighter blow delivered by a slow moving train, a greater. The control valve 31 retains the liquid in the inertia. liquid chamber 33 and the gas chamber 34 until it is again returned through the small orifice 32 into the chamber 28. But in the meantime, while the mechanism is in the position of Pi 2, the proportionate remainder spoken of above in the chamber 28 is poured into the float chamber. On impact, therefore, a certain amount of fluid will be forced out of the chamber 28 past the valve into the inertia chamber, and, of course, a greater amount or" liquid will escape when the im- )EtC'C is sharp and forceful, and as, under such condition, a relatively small quantity of fluid will remain in the chamber 27 to be poured into the float chamber, the brush will be operated to a dilierent extent when the apparatus is operated through the impacts of a fast train or a slow train. 2

It *ill be noted that a large quantity or" liquid in the float chamber will move the )rush above the stationary plate 26, and consequently a smaller quantity of liquid will esult in a more restricted movement of the brush. It may be so arranged that a blow from the "fastest train will leave no margin Whatever, but will make an electrical contact at once during the stated period of time, say flve seconds.

It will also be noted that as the inertia chamber is filled with fluid, gas cannot the escape from he chamber 34, since liquid has aassed the diaphragm and partly filled the gas chamber and compressed the gas therein.

In further explanation of the operation of the control valve 31, it is the intention of the inventor that the valve be lighter than an equal volume of the liquid in which it operates. The valve has a tendency to move upward and keep its position as in Figure 4. The stem connected to the valve member serves as a guide to properly seat it as will be understood by those. skilled in the art. It will be apparent that the valve will open at the moment of impact, due to the fact that the liquid has a tendency to remain motionless on account oi its own stationary inertia, when the mecn'anism around it starts to move upward and so some of the liquid in the chamber 28 will rush through the valve 31 into the chamber 33. When, however, the stationary inertia and centrifugal force of the liquid make and meet their equilibrium, in gas pressure, in the chamber 34 the liquid will move with the same velocity as the remainder of the mechanism. When the mechanism comes to a stop as in Figure 2, the mobile inertia of the liquid and gas. pressure will exert an opposite influence on the valve 31 and will immediately close it.

lVith these facts in mind, it will. be ob served that even though the valve 31 should be heavier than the liquid, it would still operate satisfactorily, means being provided for preventing disassociation of the parts.

I claim:

1. In a railway signal, an element mounted in operative relation to a railway track. an arm thereon adapted to receive impact from a train for operating the first named elen'ient, a gravity controlled member on the first mentioned element carried thereby during the first mentioned movement and operative to return the said element to normal position, an electric switch including an arm carried by the gravity controlled element, a float in the gravity controlled element, means for connecting the float to the arm, liquid in the gravity controlled element, means for subjecting the float to the action of the liquid when the gravity controlled element is operated, and means for removing the liquid from the zone of the float.

2. In a signal, a shaft mounted for rotation in operative relation to a railway track, means for rotating the shaft in one direction by impact from a train on the track, acasing on the shaft, a float chamber in the casing located normally on a plane above the shaft, a drain for said float chamber, a float in the chamber, a member connected to and movable by the float, a switch arm operated by said member, means for controlling the drain "from the float chamber, means by which said member moves the drain control,

loo

tion of the shaft, a casing on the shaft, a-

float chamber in the casing locatednormally on a plane above the shaft, a drain for said float chamber, a float in the chamber, a member connected to and movable by the float, a switch arm operated by said member, means for controlling the drain from the float chamber, means by which said member moves the draincontrol, a curved extension projecting from and communicating with the casing, means for partially controlling communication between the curved extension and the casing, a curved chamber at the end ofthe curved extension, and a diaphragm at the junction of the extension and chamber.

4. In a railway signal, a rotatable element mounted in operative relation to a railway track, an arm thereon adapted to receive impact from a train for turning the first 'named element, means for controlling the degree of rotation of the rotatable element,

a gravity cont-rolled member on therotatable element carried thereby during the first men- ;tioned movement and operative to return the rotatable element to normal position, an electric switch including an arm carried by the gravity controlled element, a float in the gravity controlled element, means for connecting the float to the arm, liquid in the gravity controlled element, means for subjecting the float to the action of the liquid when the gravity controlled element is 0P? erated, and means for removing the liquid from the zone of the float.

5. In a signal, a shaft mounted for rotation in operative relation to a railway track,

means for rotating the shaft in one direc which said member moves the drain con trol, a curved extension projecting from and communicating with the casing, means for partially controlling communication between the curved extenson and the casing, and means for controlling displacement of liquid in the curved extension.

6. In a signal, a shaft mounted for rotation in operative relation toa railway track, means for rotating the shaft in one direction by impact from a train on the track, a casing on the shaft, afloat chamber in the casing located normally onfa plane above the shaft,

a drain for said float chamber, a float in EARL STEINER. 

